Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-17
RECONSIDERED.
The PRESIDENT REvoKEs HIS ORDER
ABOUT The CAPTURED FLAGS.
The History Of His Aetion-A state nent
Degrading the Matter from tao
White pouse.
NAV tnInrranh 10 tha pIapatch.l

10 me OF the action OF your department d.
r,CtiDg letters 10 be addfe.sed u the Goy-
trDors of all the states offering 10 relurn.
IL ce,ircd. to loyal States. Union iigs cap
ttred during the war Of the rebellion 10y
the Confederate forces aud aiierY rd>
r covered by the Government troops.
ard to the Confederate States 4 -
captured by the Union forces; an
81 which, for many years. have been pickci
in boxes ard stored in the cellar and attic
of the War Department. am OF the ODin-
ION that the return Of the flags In the man
ner thus CONTEMPLATED l. not authorized by
existing law nor justified n an executive
oct. request. therefore, that NJ further
steps lie taken IN the matter except 10 eX.
anime aud inventory these flags and adopt
proper pressure, Cor their preservation.
ANY direction rs 10 final disposition OF
them should originate with Congress.
Yours truly,
ISigred1 GROVER CLEVELAND.
The fOlOH ing statement with regard 10
the PRESIDENTS action concerning the pro-
posed return NJ the baitle.ilaGs was made
At the White House tO.niahtto a representa-
tive Of tue Associated Press When the
question was proposed TO the President
bg The Adjulant.Gereral an imp0rt1nt
feature sU-gcstCd was the return 10
the loyal states II the illgS which
bad ben captured by the C)niederstss
and re'akCn by Our army at the time OF the
collapse Of The rebellion. They with such
Cc-fcderaie Tags a had been captured
fIom The enemy by our troops had, It was
represented, for long time lam uDclred or
ard neglected. packed away In boxes II
the cellar OF the War Department, and had
hf en- removed 10 the attic as better place for
their saie-ktepiBg. The disposition OF ligs
which seemed 10 he answering no good
purpose " here they were was the main
point, and the consideration was presented
10 the President that some faoS had been
returned 10 loyal Stlt's upon tnelr request
IN individual eases, and the t,st, II
desired, might a. well all he r
turned torethor. The return Of Con-
foGcraie flags which wtre with Others
IN The department was suggested.
but there va, moi the slightest thouoht Of
interfering IN any way with the ensured
lles nov held bv any state. J be TACT was
apUarCnty !eceived with favor by the
country that lately in one or more eases
northern troops visiting their Lite
antagonists at the South had return d
10 them fag> which had been captured in
bJitle from hose whose hOSpi,alitics they
were receiving. The further fact that
northern TROOPS who bad within a short
time been visiting southern battlc.iieds
had spoken in the Warme>t terms OF the
Kind and boST table treatment they had re.
cciyed from tie former Confederate sol
GlCTs. andthe fact, to-, that the soldiers from
the North and South were Just gathering
at Washington 10 meet in friendly cOmpe i
ton at the national drill seemed TO indicate
that il Union flags were returned 10 the
loyal States which had lost them In battle
il would not be inconsistent with TIE fra
teTnal sentiment which .ccmCd so prevalent
10 offer AT the same time 10 the Governors
Of the States formerly in rebellion the rc-
turn Of fllgs which we bad ihen from their
SOLDIERS. Thc right OF the department 10
make these returns beng questioned by ths
President. such right was distinctly a.
sCIied and prCccd"Ais alleged, and th;.
uuon his oral assent was given 10 the pro-
po.cd action. and the matter was dismissed
from his mind untli comment the.oupOn
within the lest day or two brought 1t a"iin
20 his attention, when, upon personally eX-
aiming the law and considering the sub.
iort more carefully, he satisfied him eli
th.t no DISPOSITION OF these flag could be
made without congressional action, where
upOn lie directed the suspension OF opera
tions by tie lCltfr made public thi> evening.
At The request OF Governor Foraker, OF
Ohio. that counsel should be retained to iu-
Stitute legal proceedings 10 eniOln TIE re-
turn Of the 4 DipdeT.tc flags 10 the Cover
ross o. the ssUtncgu sales, General IL. '.
Boynton to.6ay selected Samuel she'll
baTgcr. Of Ohio. and George ;. Bou--
well. OF Massachusetts, TO take charge OF
tie case. 1lc,e gentlemen expected 20
have an apphc.iion Tor mandImu- ii.ed in
the supreme Court Of thc District at !
O'Clock hi, Afternoon. but Nere delayed by
he nOn.IcoCiui OF the necessary telegram
from Ohio. be pluers were based upon
Tie claim iaat the secretary OF War VS.
about 10 dispose Of public property without
authority oi llw.
The lCttcr % the President made further
action Of the attorney unnecessary.
MORE PROTESTS.
The tcicerjpn tonight Is bringing pre-
test, from % rumlcr II nOrlhern slate.
some Of 'hrm through the Governor, 81
toe respective state. Among them ar1 The
following:
DIS M0,SIs, Iowa. june IL -General
Imilc. conn andcr OF the Grand Army o.
-
Governor LlrIaD.e 10 pro -, 10 President
Cleveland against the rebel ilig, captured
NV Iowa uOop, being surrendered 10 TIE
South and 10 taks LEGAL step, to cnioin any
such surrender il il j. contemplated. Cow
einor l.aIr,hcc has telegraphCd the Prc'i-
cont an emphatic prot, 81, and Will take
LEGAL -'cIs ii necessary TO make the protest
elective THE following W1> seat lat night
by Governor Larrabec:
a." 10 the Pfesided Of Ire LU.ted States,
J0Shhgion. u. C.:
81 send herewith rcqrc,t made upon me
o. Governor ~ Iowa by The commander Of
TIE Grad Army OF the Republic In this
State against the proposed return 10 the
South Of The Har lla@, captured by Oalon
lrocp. curing the rebellion. | add ID tins
request and prot, II 81 the surviving Union
soldier, I'm iowa a respectful but equally
urgent protest 0f the people OF the STATE,
and sh9ll deem it my duty TO Use all proper
crdoaycr 10 meNcnt any such return Of tn
haillt-llg, captured by the Iowa troops.
"NUIIAN LAREBgE.'
NIIwArErE. June ia special to the
ErenHg u .scOnSm from Madison, Wis,
says: Governor Rusk, who j. greatly
liu~tu ny TIT w ttlblil iNibI VI III" hhihAhT
i.tration 10 return al rebel tlags i the or
gin1l southern companies from which they
were taken. bas sent Il letter 10 Allutlnt'
General Drum requesting that the rebel
figs captured by Wisconsin troops in the
late war be returned To the state.
Governor RuSk also wired protest to
President Cleveland against the return OF
Tie lags.
The Grand Army OF the Republic posts
in Wisconsin " III hold meetings 10 protest
against Tie action Of the War Department
ToPEKA. Kan, JDne 10. Much indigDa.
ton j. expressed here over the return OF
Conicd, rate flg, TO their respective oiltos.
4 llfce number OF Grand Army OF
the Republic men called upon Governor
Martin today, who at noon sent the iOl-
lowing tai, gam 10 the President:
"In toe name Oi The 100000 citizens OF
Kansas WhO stTyed in Tie ranks Of TIE
Union amy dulinZ the VAR, aud IN 0ehH
Of all tie loyal people Of this state, | enter
an Indignant protest az iin>t the return OF
Confederate flags captured in battle py thu
soldiers OF the republic. | protest against
such seton a. an insuIt 10 the heroic dead
aud an outrage on surviving cOmrade'. Inc
Government accepted the custody Of tn L
flags placed in ITS charge by the Patriotic
soldiers Of The Union a sacred trust. and
protest that neither the President OF tie
United States nor any other Otlcer OF the
Government has the authority, moral OF
local Ia surrender them.